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Swig Beers at a German Brewery's Only U.S. Outpost

Germans are known for all sorts of things: dependable little cars, brats, pretzels, a girl named Lola who liked to run
and of course, beer. Luckily for New Yorkers, one über awesome German brewery just opened its only U.S. outpost right here in our own backyard. Paulaner Brauhaus opened its doors at the end of November, and we’ve been sipping at brewed-on-premise beer ever since. (Take that, rest of the states.)

The Bowery brewpub, which replaced Sammy’s Bowery Follies, cops a refined beer hall vibe, with exposed brick walls, plenty of seating at blonde-wood tables, and gleaming metal work that houses the ever-important beer. Giant vats hold the brewery’s popular Hefeweizen, Munich Lager and Munich Dark – all brewed in-house and delivered throughout the restaurant via the shiny pipes that run along the walls. The suds prove to be a welcome change for anyone whose taste buds have been overloaded by experimental beer styles: the brewery follows Germany’s Beer Purity Law, which states that beer can only contain water, hops, malt and yeast.

The menu is also a step up from your normal beer hall fare. Everything from currywurst to roasted duck leg is served up by female servers in dirndls (no word on if male servers are also expected to wear them). Order a beer and settle in for lunch, dinner, or a newly introduced brunch, which features dishes such as pumpkin oatmeal with tart cherries and donut French toast.

So why New York? It has a little to do with the brewery’s beverage of choice (beer) and everything to do with an entirely different form of liquid refreshment. Paulaner’s main concern for opening stateside was the water quality, and if it would be sufficient for its beers. After much testing and sneaking water samples past the TSA, New York was given the green light and the States were given Paulaner Brauhaus. Mugs of fresh beer and the first brewery on U.S. soil? We'll follow Lola's lead and run right on over.